mineral
Milky Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White, semi-translucent to opaque; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: ~2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- White, semi-translucent to opaque
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White, semi-translucent to opaque; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: ~2.65
Formation & geological history
Forms in igneous, metamorphic, and hydrothermal vein environments. The cloudy white appearance is caused by microscopic fluid inclusions trapped during crystal growth.
Uses & applications
Used in electronics (as a source of silicon), optical equipment, abrasive manufacturing, glassmaking, and decorative or lapidary purposes.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz gets its milky color from millions of tiny gas or liquid bubbles trapped as the crystal formed.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its scratch resistance against glass/steel (Mohs 7), lack of cleavage, and characteristic greasy to vitreous luster. Commonly found worldwide in granitic pegmatites, quartz veins, and river gravels.
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